Random Thoughts Of A Tuesday Evening

1.  It was with some trepidation I opened the bedroom door this morning, but much to my relief, there was no cat gack on the floor...anywhere.  I fed the cat her breakfast, and by the time I left for work, she still hadn't thrown it up, so I was hopeful she is feeling better.  

2.  I thought briefly about cutting some branches up, but after tossing some corn for the crows and squirrels, I was drenched in sweat that fast.  So, I picked out some pebbles to fill my bee watering bowl. 

It will eventually go into my fairy garden, but for now, it's in the planter with my basil. 

3.  I poured my milk into my oatmeal, then stuck it into the microwave to cook.  When I got it out, the milk had curdled.  I got the jug out of the fridge, opened the cap, and whew!  Yep, it was sour.  Giving up on oatmeal, I poured myself some Cheerios with almond milk and ate that instead.  The very last bite, I promise you I didn't do this on purpose, it just happened.  It smiled at me.  

I smiled back, snapped a photo, then ate it. 

4.  For you local folks, here is the QR code to Matt Laubhan's new weather app. 

5.  By the way, the snakes have all had birthdays recently.  OK, I don't have any of their hatch dates except for Onyx's, which is July 24, 2004, so I've give them all an official unofficial birthday of July 1.  Even Onyx.  So, Slider, Sunset, and Onyx are all 21 years old, and Blaze is 20.  

6. I got home from work, and walked into the house with some trepidation, only to find...no cat gack!  Anywhere.  I'd shut her out of the bedrooms and bathroom, just in case, but turns out there was no need.  She's still not quite herself, but now that she's stopped vomiting, she should pick up soon.  

7.  I had a moment of panic Sunday morning when I checked on my tomato plant, and it was all slumped over.  It would seem I'd forgotten to water it over the holiday weekend.  I gave it a good watering, then tied it back up to the stakes.  Then, I cut some of the tomatoes that were starting to ripen, thinking that would take some of the stress off of the plant-- all except for that green one.  It had apparently fallen off on its own in the melee. 

The one on the far right ended up in a tomato sandwich this afternoon. 

8.  I wish more people understood this. 

People don't always need you badgering them about what's wrong.  They don't necessarily need to talk about it.  Sometimes, they just need you to be there.  

10.  I may be wrong for this, but I think it's absolutely hysterical to watch conspiracy theorists tie themselves in knots insisting that their theories are still true, even when they've been proven most decidedly to be false. 

11.  I'm heading over to Amazon to see if I can pick up any Prime Day deals.  Catch you later. 

Random Thoughts Of A Tuesday Evening

1.  Well, I thought I had some good news for you, but alas, I don't.  

For those of you who have memories like mine, something has been digging in my raised beds, and I think it's squirrels.  I'd done a minute of research and found that they don't like peppermint, so I cut some springs and scattered them around the second bed -- remember that I'd put bricks into the first one.  Anyway, it seemed to work because the next morning, the bed hadn't been dug in.  However, by the second morning, and the third, whatever was digging had been back.  Nearly the whole bed was dug up.  Bummer. 

So, this afternoon when I got home, I rounded up some bricks and small chunks of concrete and put them into the second bed. 

That ought to keep the little buggers out, and may I remind them that squirrel season starts in ...one week.  

By the time I got done with that, I was sooo drenched in sweat I came inside and took my shower while cheering on the coming cold front.  Indeed, it got up to 93° at my work station and yes, I moaned all day about it.  "Come on, cold front!"  I said as my clothes stuck to me.   

2.  I had to order more checks this month.  Seriously, I have one -- one -- bill that I still have to pay by check, and it's a pretty important one.  I've tried to set up an online payment, but they say I don't qualify for electronic funds transfer.  I don't know why.  Every other bill I can pay with an auto draft or I can make a payment online.  Only this one bill am I still over here writing a check every month like a Neanderthal.  

All that to say, I woke up this morning and thought to myself, "Dadgum, it's been three weeks and them checks still ain't got here."  When I got home this afternoon, after my shower, I got online and after running in circles a few moments, found my order status. My checks have been shipped, and were supposed to arrive yesterday.  Hopefully, they'll get here today or tomorrow.  That bill is due Oct 1, and I'm starting to sweat just a bit.  And not due to the temps this time. 

I don't know why I told you all that, but this is my life.  

3.  You know what else is my life?  This:

I'm not sure whether to be proud or a little frightened that I knew that.  Right away, too.  I didn't even have to think about it. 

4.  I watched a mini-series on Prime called A Very Royal Scandal.  It's exactly what it says.  The show has three seasons -- each with three episodes-- about some big scandal in the British Royalty.  Each season is its own story, so you don't have to start from the beginning.   I skipped straight to season 3, which was about Prince Andrew allegedly raping that 17 year old girl.  It was pretty interesting, but like everything else these days, it was absolutely loaded with obscene language.  

5.  I started watching Joey B and That Kid Jayden play against each other, but fell asleep.  I woke up at halftime, and just decided to turn it off.  BTW, I can never root for Washington, but I do like That Kid Jayden. 

6.  There are new seasons of both Halloween Baking Championship and Halloween Wars on.  I have to admit, I'm just a wee bit jealous of those people who just take a pill or a shot, and eat and drink whatever they want when I'm over here trying to control my glucose naturally and giving up everything that makes life worth living.  I haven't had a single piece of candy corn this year.  Normally by this time, I've eaten three bags of the stuff.  Sigh...

7.  Facebook is at it again.  This isn't my post, but seriously?  

What about this violated community standards?  She was thanking people for wishing her a happy birthday.  You've got to do better than this, Zuckerberg!

8.  Fall allergies are in full swing.  Ragweed is in bloom, and I'm coughing my head off.  I think I'm going to get off of here and knit a bit before bed.  Not that that has anything to do with ragweed, but there it is. 

9.  Goodnight. 

Random Thoughts 💭 Of A Friday Evening

1.  Guess what I am?  Can you guess?  Go ahead and guess...What am I? 

2.  They replaced one of the toilet paper holders at work.  How can you tell? 

Yes, those are what you think they are.  Well, if you think they're the points of the screws all the way through the partition into the next stall, they are. 

3.  I bought peppers.  

I don't know why.  I don't even like peppers, but they were so bright and colorful I couldn't help myself.  Maybe I'll pickle them.  Some of them at least.  I may cut some up and put them into the chicken salad I'm planning on making this weekend. 

4.  Nice try, scammers.  I don't even know what Coinbase is!

 5.  So far, my makeshift scarecrow seems to be working on my one remaining sunflower, which is to say that nothing has ripped holes in the cheesecloth and eaten the seeds yet.  

6.  In case you didn't figure it out, the answer to #1 up there is tired.  Yep, I'm tired.   I'm so tired, I dont' even remember what it's like to be not tired.  

7.  I'm going to bed now, but first, I guess I'd better get that chicken out of the freezer.  

8.  Laters. 

9.  By the way, I started saying that when I watched an old British TV show called The Cafe.  It's up on Britbox, so I've been watching through it again.  I was going to cancel my Britbox after catching up on Vera, but I haven't even finished that show yet.  I did get a nice surprise, though.  I thought it was $12.99 per month, but no, it's only $8.99 per month.  I may hang on to it a little longer.  At least as long as the overtime holds out. 

10.  The fence guy was supposed to come this week to give me an estimate, but he never showed.  Sigh...I guess I've been --well, I can't even say he ghosted me, because he never showed up in the first place.  I'm going to give him a few more days before I go with another fencing company, because maybe all the rain has put him behind.  At least he could have called and let me know something, though.  Oh well, that's par for the course around here. 

11.  I really am going to bed this time. 

12.  Oh, I almost forgot!  There was another earthquake in Texas today.  I wonder if my friends who live in that area felt it.  I must go ask them. 

13.  Laters, for reals.  

14.  I mean it.  I'm going to bed. 

15.  Good night. 

Random Thoughts Of A Monday Evening

1.  It's here!  My first catalog is here!

2.  I had my semi-annual dentist appointment today, and I have to get another crown.  He said he could do a filling, but a crown would be better, but it was my call and I chose the crown.  I made the appointment for the afternoon of April 25, because I already had a vacation day for my doctor appointment that morning.  Then I came home and double checked...my doctor appointment is April 30.  Sigh...

3.  You miss beautiful sunrises when you have to be at work at 5:00 AM.  Then you manage to catch the best one on Sunday. 

4.  We're expecting some severe weather tonight, but the worst is supposed to pass to the South of us.  I brought my outside plants inside, just in case. 

5.  My Sun filter for my phone camera arrived yesterday. 

Naturally, I had to run outside and try it out, even though it was cloudy. 

If it ever clears up, I'll try again, using my eclipse glasses to get better aim. 

6.  I was going to go get my oil changed in my car after my dentist appointment, since I was going to be in town anyway, but changed my mind when I saw what the weather was going to do.  I wanted to be home and hunkered down before the storms get here.  In hindsight, I had plenty of time, but better safe than sorry. 

7.  I've been mentally composing a blog post based on a meme a friend of mine posted a while back.  My internal dialogue went, "Yes, Jesus loves you just the way you are, but when you commit your life to him, he's going to clean your ass up!"  We had a good laugh about that -- after I repented, of course. 

8.  I seriously thought about cancelling my doctor appointment, but I think I'll just change my dentist appointment instead.  Provided I can get my vacation day changed, but since the 30th is on a Tuesday, it shouldn't be that hard.  

9.  I guess that's it for today.  I've got a new catalog to peruse. 

10.  Laters...

Random Thoughts Of St. Valentine's Day

 1.  Look!  I got a Valentine!

It's from my friend Belinda, who didn't get around to sending Christmas cards, so sent these instead.  Thank you!  It made my day!

2.  Guess what it's doing again...go on guess!  Here's a hint: 

3.  Well, they took away our overtime, but I suspect it won't be for long.  When we get behind again, they'll start hooting and hollering that they don't have any headers and we'll be coming in at 4:00 again.  Of course, their precious second shift is still working 10 hours, because you know we have to let them do whatever they want.  

4.  I got a bit of a scare this afternoon, when I got a call from my water company telling me I hadn't paid my bill.  I know I had, and found the receipt still laying on my kitchen cabinet.  Where I'd left it....a week ago....OK, moving right along...I tried calling, but apparently everyone else was trying to all, too, because I kept getting a busy signal.  Off to their Facebook page I went, where I saw the announcement.  It was a glitch in the automated system.  Instead of calling just those who were past due, it was calling everyone in the system. Whew!  I've lived here 28 years, and that's the first time that's ever happened. 

5.  Just FYI

6.  Speaking of St. Valentine's day, it was originally observed as a Christian holiday remembering St. Valentine, who was martyred on this day in 269 A.D., for refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ. He is also the patron saint of love, marriage, affianced couples, and plague. That being said, Happy Valentine’s Day to all those afflicted by the plague.

7. I got called out on FB the other day. Or at least, someone made a pretty pathetic attempt to call me out. Observe:

I had to laugh.  Seriously?  Evil?  Sister, this is trash talk.  It's an essential part of sports culture, and moreover, this is actually baby talk compared to some of the stuff out there.  If this poor fragile person is that triggered by my saying Cry, Eagles, Cry, she'd never even survive seeing some of the real trash talk out there. The bright spot is, I mean, other than it being absolutely hysterical, she blocked me.  No big loss.  All she did was lay in bed all day posting selfies.  Of herself laying in bed.  All day.  About 20 selfies per day.  Of herself laying in bed.  I'm actually glad I don't have to see that any more.  

8.  Where have all my readers gone?  I mean, I've never been that popular, but still..

9.  I don't know if I'm even going to fool with a flower bed this year.  I might just leave it and see if any of my wildflowers from last year seeded.  All of my little bluebonnets I had planted got whacked by the hard freeze we had just before Christmas.  Maybe others will come up.  I don't know.  I hope so, but it's not looking good.  

10.  Group Leader Shark brought us lunch today.  The plant is feeding us tomorrow for having the highest efficiency since 2106 for the month of January.   Free food two days in a row.  Thank you!  

11.  I think I'll go knit a while now.  Laters. 

Random Thoughts Of A Thursday Evening

1.  If I ever get to the point where I’m able to retire. I’m going to spend the entire first month sleeping. Just sleeping…

What you’ve just read is the first thought that went through my head when that alarm went off at 2:45 this morning.  Then I got to work and told my coworker, and she said when her alarm went off, she said, "Nope.  Can't do it" and came in at 6:00.

2.  We've had some weather today, but the severe stuff passed to the South and East of where I am.  Still, the wind was kicking out there.  My other coworker told me she'd gone out to sit in her car over lunch break, and she thought someone was trying to prank her by pushing on her car, but it was just the wind. 

3.  That same wind knocked down a pretty good sized branch.  I mean, it was already out of the tree, but up on top of my shed.  This wind blew it to where I could grab hold of it with my dirt rake and yank it on down.  I got my mini chain saw out and made a pretty good little pile of firewood out of it. 

4.  Speaking of firewood, I need to get some more, as I'm almost out.  I don't want to deal with the guy I bought from last year, for multiple reasons, the main one being I don't want to have to stand there arguing with him about cutting a hole in my fence every time he brings me a delivery of wood. 

5.  I was pleasantly surprised when I got my electric bill this month.  I was almost afraid to open it, but girded my loins and did anyway.  Yes, it was high, because of running my heater, but not quite as high as I expected.  So, that's a good thing.

6.  I think I need to take some communication classes. Or maybe I should point out when I'm ridiculing a coworker, since apparently my mocking is a bit too subtle.

7.  Back before Christmas, I noticed this new sign on the floor at work. 

My first thought was, "Wow!  That's some bright paint!  It almost looks like a light."  I passed my hand over it to see if said hand cast a shadow, but it didn't. I even looked up to the ceiling to see if there was a light, but I didn't see one.  Impressed, I went on about my business wondering where in the world they found paint so bright and shiny it looks like a light.  

Then today, I found it.  Do you see it?  Up there over the door?  Yep, it's the light...

I can't even blame sleep deprivation for that one. 

8.  My second trip through that weight loss program starts Feb 6.  

9.  We have a three day weekend this weekend.  I hope to get some knitting done, but I need to pull out a different project.  I'm getting a bit bored with the scarf and need a bit of variety.  I've got some socks around here I need to work on.  

Or maybe I'll knit another hat.  Or two.  

Whatever.  I'll let you know. 

Random Thoughts Of A Monday Evening

1.  Man, I need a nap.  

2. The Cowboys had the SNF game again last night, so I'd already set my DVR, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stay up and watch it all. since 2:45 doesn't come any later just because there's a football game.  Sure enough, just before half, I turned it off and went to bed.  The score was 14-13 Dallas. 

Somewhere along about midnight, I woke up to answer nature's call.  "That game is over by now.  Let me just check the score to see if Dallas won. "  They hadn't been playing all that well during the first half, so I had my doubts.  

Grabbing my phone, I opened my ESPN app and saw....54-19.  

I immediately did a double take, thinking I'd opened my College Football app instead, but no, sure enough it was the Cowboys-Colts score.  They must have absolutely exploded in the second half.  The downside is I had to wait until after a 10 hour shift in the factory to come home and watch it.

3.  Todays homestead holiday share is wreaths, so here are the three wreaths I have inside my house.   

This is my favorite wreath.  It hangs in the living room right above my TV.  This is an old photo, and it looks a bit more bedraggled now.  I keep thinking I need to replace it, but I just can't bring myself to do so.

This wreath is one I put together myself, with just a plain wreath and a bow.  Well, the wreath used to be lighted, but the lights stopped working a long time ago.  The little star in the middle is an ornament I hung it there because it needed a little something there. 

And this wreath is one I got from the church's women's Christmas party several years ago.  We used to play Dirty Santa -- yes, at church -- and this is what I ended up with.  

One of the other ladies made this, and the funny thing is, the gift I took that year was a hand knit sweater.  I gave a hand made gift and received a hand made gift in exchange.  Pretty cool, huh?

4.  I cast on another hat. 

All the projects I have going on, and I cast on another hat.  It's like I can't quit them.  Is there a hat knitter's anonymous?  I need to find a charity to which I can donate the ones I've already completed, because I'm running out of room in my gift drawer. 

5.  As I mentioned, season 3 of The Chosen is going to be released starting Sunday, so I've been re-watching seasons one and two.  I found this channel on YouTube where this guy Leonardo is reacting to watching each episode for the first time.  The first videos are a couple of years old, but I'm watching them for the firs time.  It's almost as interesting watching his reactions to the episodes as the episodes are themselves.  

Yesterday, we -- Leonardo and I -- were watching season one, episode six.  It was a very intense scene.  I was very intent on Leonardo's reaction, and totally focused....when all of the sudden, weather warnings starting coming over my phone, and I like to have jumped over the chair.  

When I saw this cartoon posted on Facebook shortly after that, it just seemed appropriate -- especially the one on the lower right.

6.  Your vocabulary word for the day:  schadenfreude.

You know that feeling you get when the cat asks you to let her outside and you say no because it's supposed to rain all day, then she hisses at you and swipes your leg with her claws, so you say, "ALLRIGHT!" and let her out and then you go to work and she has to stay outside all day in the rain while you're at work, and you think, 'It serves her right"?  

That's schadenfreude.  

7.  By the way, she didn't actually have to stay out in the rain.  She can get inside the shed so at least she's dry. 

8.  They announced which teams will be playing in the college football playoff and guess who isn't in it?  That's right, neither Alabama nor Clemson is playing.  For the first time since it started, there isn't one of those two teams isn't in the playoff.  

9.  I reckon that's it for today.  Laters.

Random Thoughts While I Watch Football

1.  I got up this morning and went to our town's 18th annual Downtown Jubilee.  I didn't stay long, because Alabama vs. Texas kicked off at 11:00.  I always like going to that one, because it's not as hot as Thunder On Water in June.  They had the usual food and craft booths, but the only thing I bought was a wind chime. 

I'd been wanting one of these kinds for ages -- the kind that sound like the bell on a buoy -- but hadn't even gotten one.  This one was a good price, and I like the tone of it.  I tried to get a video, but it didn't work out.  

2.  The guy selling those had lots of metalwork signs and things, but I didn't get any of them. 

I wanted the USN anchor at the bottom, and the circular one in the middle, but the vendor had a strict cash only policy, and I just didn't have enough cash on hand to get either of those.  I sure didn't have enough to get the signs and the windchime, even though I thought the prices were very reasonable for handmade goods.

3.  One of the maintenance men came to work Thursday with a t-shirt that read "I'm only here because you broke something".  

4.  A few weeks ago, we had some very important visitors come to the plant.  Watching all the front office people fussing and fretting about it like they were, I turned to my coworker and said, "I wonder what's got them all pooping their pants like that."  She replied, "We've got company coming next week."  I said, "Oh, I know that.  But who is it that's coming?  Queen Elizabeth?"  

5.  I missed the Harvest Moon rise last night because of the cloud cover.  I was hoping it would clear off today, so I would see it tonight, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  It's been drizzly and rainy since about noon yesterday.  It's good in a way, because I put some of my Scott's Turf builder down yesterday morning, and it needed to be watered in. This long, slow rain we've been getting is just perfect for that. 

6.  The car show at the Downtown Jubilee was kind of thin this year, but they still had some nice cars.  I think this one was my favorite. 

7.  By the way, if I use half a blog post to tell you that Jesse is doing much better, then you ask in a comment if Jesse is doing any better, that's a sure sign you don't actually read my blog.  

8.  A few weeks ago, when we were having all those heavy, driving rains, I moved my Whatever cacti into the carport so they wouldn't be beaten into mush.   They look so much better here than they have in years!

A couple of the leaves look a bit sunburned, but overall, they look so much healthier.  I think I might put them here next spring instead of by my back door.  I'll have to keep an eye on it to make sure it's not getting too much direct sunlight, but for now, I'm leaving them here. 

9.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the irony in a Dentist office having a bowl of candy on its table. 

10.  That's it for today.  I've got football to watch, and I need my computer to do so.  I'll catch you later.  

Random Thoughts Of A Saturday Evening

 1.  I almost forgot to let Jesse back in this morning.  I'd gotten up at my usual time, and let him out to do his business.  I got ready for work as usual.  Just before I was about to walk out the door, I decided to fill his water dish.  Walking into the bedroom, I noticed he wasn't on the bed.  I thought he must be in the closet, but no, he wasn't in there, either.  That's when I realized I'd forgotten to let him back inside.  

I ran -- figuratively speaking, I don't run in real life -- and opened the back door, and there he was, patiently waiting on the back step.  I'm just glad I realized I'd left him outside before I left for work.  It's way too hot for him to be outside all day.  

2.  Yes, I am praying for my air conditioner this week.  Literally.  

And next week as well, because it's supposed to be even hotter.  You know it's hot when you see it's only supposed to get up to 91' tomorrow, and you're excited about it. 

Please, Lord, don't let my conditioner of air konk out this week!

3.  I know one thing, I will not be mowing this weekend!  What will I be doing instead?  I'll be watching my new special edition Blu-rays of The Chosen.  

I love special editions of stuff -- behind the scenes videos, director's commentary, round table Bible discussions about the episodes -- all of it.  

4.  How hot is it?  It's so hot, that my numbers are peeling off my mailbox.  

I bought new ones, and will probably get out early in the morning before it gets too hot and replace them.  Or I may just wait until the heat dome lifts.  No point in putting new ones on if they're just going to peel off anyway. 

5.  I don't know what these things are.  I think they're a variety of Cosmos, but I'm not completely sure.  They came out of the packet of wildflower seeds I bought.  

I do know one thing, though.  If they don't bloom soon, they're going to be composted.  

6.  I am by no means a germophobe, but when your lunch table at work looks like this

every day, yeah, that's why I carry sanitizing wipes with me.  That's just nasty.   We are supposed to have a cleaning crew, but obviously, they don't do their job very well.  

7.  I went on a bit of a spending spree here these last few weeks.  One of the things I bought was some more of that Scott's Weed & Feed Southern formula.  I'm not going to show you a picture of it.  You can look it up if you want to.  I'm telling you, though.  The stuff works.  My front yard has grass in it now!  It's still got a little bit of dollar weed, but even that looks sickly and dying.    Best of all, I haven't seen a single ant bed since I put it down.  I think I might put some behind the fence, too, to keep the dollar weed from spreading back into my yard. 

8.  I'd gotten Cody one of these record cleaning systems for Christmas, and he seemed pleased with it.  

I'd asked him to bring it down and clean some of my records last month when they came to take me to the oral surgeon, but he didn't.  I don't know what was going on with him that day.  He didn't even bring his laundry, which I told him he was welcome to do.  Anyway, since it'll likely be Thanksgiving before I see them again, I splurged and bought one of my own.  I felt like it would come in handy since most of my records came from eBay.  Plus, I spilled something sticky on one of my Christmas records when I was doing my baking last year.  That needs to be cleaned, too.  

9.  I also bought a hat. 

And some new work boots, but those were kind of a necessity.  I need new work jeans, too, but it's so difficult to find 100% cotton jeans that don't cost $80 + these days.  

10.  Speaking of hats, knitting is coming along right nicely.  

This is why most crafters have more than one project going at the same time.  When one gets dull, switching to another for a while can bring back a missing mojo.  I'm still working on the scarf, but it doesn't look much different. 

11.  Well, I'm off to watch my new DVD.  Laters.  

Random Thoughts Of A Tuesday Evening

1.  Yes, you read that right, and no, I did not forget what day it is.  This was actually the post I was going to write yesterday, but when I opened up my computer and heard about the horrible school shooting in Texas, suddenly, it didn't seem so important. 

2.  I have this sinkhole by my back fence.  

It's been there ever since I had all that plumbing replaced right after I moved into this house.  No matter how much dirt I put in there, it keeps coming back.  My fear was that it was somehow getting into the sewer line and washing down the drain -- so to speak. 

Today, I got home from work and checked my cleanout, and sure enough, it was backed up again.  I got my trusty Drain King and began flushing it out.  While that was going on, I put in a call to the plumber, and wonder of wonders, he answered the phone!  Well, it was his wife, but still.  

I explained what was going on, and she said it would be in the morning before they could come.  I said I'd be at work, but for them to just come do what they needed to do.  She called back a few minutes later and told me they'd had a job cancelled, so they could come today.  Cool beans!

They came out and ran a camera down the line...and right there where that sinkhole is, the pipes were full of mud.  Apparently, my fears were valid.  I told him I'd had the whole sewer line replaced just five years ago, and it had been that way ever since.  He asked who'd done the job, and when I told him, the look on his face told me everything I needed to know.  

The bad news is, they're going to have to replace the whole sewer line again.  The good news is, this time, it'll be done right.  It'll be a couple of days before he can get to it, though.  He's got a church whose whole line is collapsed, and they've got a Bishop coming this week.  Yeah, take care of them first.  I'll be OK.  

Before he left, he got his reamer thingy and cleaned out the lines as best he could, so it should hold me until they can get back to me.  I told him to do whatever he needed to do -- he didn't need to clear it with me first, just get it fixed.  It'll take a chunk out of my savings, but hopefully, this time, I'll be done with that fool sewer line.

3.  It was raining so hard this morning, Jesse wouldn't go outside to do his business.  Before I left for work, I told him if he needed to go, please, please, please go on the vinyl flooring and not on the carpet.  He's such a good boy, he did just what I told him to do.  He went on the vinyl and not the carpet.  I reassured him I wasn't mad, and I just cleaned it up.  That's a long time to expect a dog to hold it. And I'm thankful he didn't go on the carpet.

4.  Amazingly enough, they've given us the weekend off!  My plans for the weekend are to vacuum and shampoo the carpet in both bedrooms, then mow and spread my weed killer.  Notice, I said those are my plans.  Whether it happens or not is a different story.  

5.  I was practicing my piano the other day, and started learning a new song.  On the top of the page, I saw this note:

Hmmm, I thought, I ought to try that.  I went into my snake/craft/computer room and dug out my button box.  Inside, I found five large buttons and....let me tell you, it's not easy playing these things perfectly five times in a row!  

I'm used to multi-tasking when I practice, but to do this takes concentration.  It's also very time consuming.  If I continue to use this method, I may have to cut back to only learning one song per week.  Either that, or stop blogging.  Or stay off Facebook.  

6.  By the way, they're opening a Milwaukee Tools factory here. That's been the talk of the plant ever since they made the decision sometime last year.  I have debated back and forth over whether to apply once they start hiring for peon positions.  By the time they get up and running, I'll be 59 -- or nearly so.  I'm not sure I want to start completely over so close to retirement.  That's a lot of seniority and vacation time I'd be giving up.  

7.  It's been a week since my oral surgery, and I can finally have carbonated drinks again!  Naturally, the first one I had was a Dr Pepper.  Everything is healing well, though the extraction sites are still tender.  I'd tried to put my partial in Monday, but it was too painful, so I'm probably going to wait a few more days before I try again.  

8.  I guess that's all for today.  Laters  

Random Thoughts Of A Thursday Evening

 1.  Day four.  We are on day four of no air conditioning in the plant.  This is not a pleasant experience, especially with the outside temperatures being up into the 90s.  I overheard some people saying that they'd had to order a part and were waiting for it to get in.  Hopefully, it'll get here soon.

2.  I completely forgot what I was going to say here.

3.  We're getting better over in the brazing department!  Tuesday, we had six brazers out.  Yesterday, there were five brazers out.  Today, it was only four. Maybe tomorrow, it'll only be three!  Of course, we won't be back at full staffing until the one who had the baby is back, and the one who broke her foot is back...but we take what we can get. 

4.  I'm going to have to skip the lunar eclipse Sunday, due to having to go to work Monday.  It's all very fascinating, but I'm sure it looks just like every other lunar eclipse I've ever seen.  

5.  Speaking of, it looks like it's going to be Fall before I can use my new telescope again, since this time of year, I go to bed before the sun sets.  I'd love to watch that eclipse through it -- the telescope, I mean -- if it weren't for that whole having to work thing. 

6.  Your vocabulary word of the day is schadenfreude.  Schadenfreude is that wonderful, happy feeling you get when you watch The Production Manager Formerly Known As Brazing Boss -- yes, the same Brazing Boss who used to tell us not to rush, not to listen to what the production manager was telling us, that no matter how badly the lines were rushing us, we had to take our time and braze slowly, and just make the lines wait -- absolutely losing his...um, marbles.. yes, let's say marbles...because he doesn't have any headers on the lines, and the lines are all down waiting on them, and he doesn't know what he's going to do...and all the brazers are laughing at him.  That is schadenfreude. 

7.  Cody and Brennan are coming down next Wednesday to drive me to the oral surgeon. I took Thursday off, too, since it's three teeth I'm getting extracted.  I tried to get Friday also so I'd have a nice long weekend, but I didn't realize that's the local HS Graduation.  Supervisor said there were way too many people already taking off, and I replied if I'd known it was graduation, I wouldn't have even bothered.  Since I no longer have a kid in school, I don't keep up with this stuff any more. 

8.  Anybody want to have a Chosen watch party Wednesday evening or Thursday?  

9.  Speaking of The Chosen, this is my absolute favorite scene of the entire series...well, so far. 

I mean, there are so many good scenes, it was hard to pick just one, but this one really spoke to me.  There is so, so much to unpack here, it will take a whole post unto itself to get through it all.  It's marinating in my brain, and one day, I'll get it all typed out for you.  Today is not that day, though, so you'll just have to be content with the clip. 

10.  I forgot what I was going to put here, too. 

11.  I guess that means it's time for bed, so goodnight all. 

Random Thoughts Of A Wednesday Evening

 1.  I don't know what those folks are doing up in there on third shift.  This morning, I walked into the bathroom and in the trash can, I saw this:

and in the toilet...

What on earth is that?  

2.  Society is doomed, I tell you.  Doomed.

3.  The Dallas Cowboys have traded Amari Cooper and signed Michael Gallup to a $62 million contract.  This is why they don't win Super Bowls!  They have a history of spending big money on mediocre players.  The name Miles Austin ring a bell?  

4.  My cousin Chris sent me this photo.  

Someone he knows was cleaning out his grandmother's and found it.  I'm pretty sure this is my Pappaw's brother, Uncle Charlie.  Beverly would know right away.  She's the one who had all these old family photos.  It would be interesting to know how this person's grandma knew Uncle Charlie, as well.  

4.  I came home to dog poop on the floor.  Lovely.  I don't get mad at Jesse when he has an accident.  That's a long time to ask him to hold it.  I just clean it up and go on, but it's part of the reason why I probably won't get another dog.  It's just not fair to him.  

5.  Will this nuclear war involve running?  Because if it involves running, I'm pretty much just going to have to fry. 

6.  The government is talking about making Daylight Saving Time permanent.  I hate that idea.  Most of the people I've talked to hate the idea as well.  Yes, we'd all love to stop changing the clocks, but if you're going to make anything permanent, it should be Standard time.  Frankly, I like it getting darker earlier in the evening, and I'm sure parents would feel much better if their kids aren't standing out in the dark waiting for the bus in the mornings.

7.  I canceled my FrendlyTV.  I know it's not much, but all those nickles and dimes add up.  What with prices the way they are and getting worse, I have to trim where I can.  I'm canceling all the stuff I don't use regularly, and even some of the stuff I do, like the Not The Bee website.  I even canceled my Ancestry.com membership.  I can't see paying $198 per year in these times for something I rarely go on.  I'll still be able to see my tree, but I won't be able to research anything, or add to it.  Maybe when things pick up again, I'll reactivate it.  In the meantime, I'll just look at my brother's tree. 

8.  It's almost bed time, and I have to practice my piano yet, so I guess that's it for today. 

9.  Except for one more thing.  Remember the headers I talked about yesterday?  The ones that had been brazed wrong?  Yep.  Sure enough, there I was at work, just a working away, when the assembly line group leader came walking up to brazing with a box of...you guessed it, headers that had been brazed wrong.  Beats me why they didn't just let us fix them as soon as I'd spotted the error, but hey, that's my place of employment for you. 

10.  Now, I really am going to go practice my piano.  Laters. 

Random Thoughts Of A Wednesday Evening

 1.  There I was at work, just a working away, when out of the blue, one of my coworkers came up and asked me, "Don't you ever get tired?"  I said, "Girl, please!  I'm never not tired!"  And it's only February.  It'll be like this until at least September or October.  But hey, they're feeding us hotdogs next week.  

2.  I think I'd get a lot more out of my piano practice if I didn't have such a harsh critic:

3.  Some women wish they could eat without getting fat.  I wish I could be as sleepy after I get into bed as I am sitting in the recliner.  But nooooo.  As soon as I lay down in the bed, I'm wide awake.  

4.  Today, we commemorate the beginning of the Siege of the Alamo.  

5.  You're not going to believe this, but today I ate the last piece of Christmas candy.  Now, I can get back with my weight loss program.  I gained quite a bit over Christmas, but I'm still down 15 lbs from where I was when I started.  I'm hoping with all the temptations finally out of the house, I can get back on track.  

6.  I can't remember what else it was I was going to tell you, so I'll just tell you I have to go to the dentist tomorrow, and I don't want to.  He's going to fuss at me, because I still haven't gotten that broken tooth extracted.  I know, I know, but I feel like I've got a million things pulling at me all at once, and there's only one of me.  

7.  Oh, I've got some exciting news!  An episode of Restaurant Impossible is going to be filming right here in town next month!  One of my coworkers said she's going to sign up to be an extra.  I'm not, but I do want to watch it when it comes on.  I don't know yet when that will be, but I've already set my DVR to record the show, so I'll be sure to let you know. 

8.  Good news, it looks like Marty Mac is going to survive being transplanted.  He's starting to perk up, and his traps are getting that good reddish color again.  Funny thing, there was a piece of perlite stuck on the edge of one of the traps, so I thought I'd be smart and blow it out.  Do you know you can trigger them to snap closed doing that?  I do now.   It was still pretty cool to watch. 

9.  The bad news is, the Christmas cactus that was stressed isn't looking any better.  I found an old picture from a few years ago, and it looked so much better then, but I could already see some of the leaves turning red.  If I'd known then what that meant, maybe I could have saved the plant.  As it is, I don't know.  I'm just going to leave it alone and hope for the best.

10.  I'd better go practice my piano while the cat is napping, before she comes and gives me the stink eye again.  

11.  Laters.